Ferdinand Oechsle
Encyclopedia
Christian Ferdinand Oechsle (December 26, 1774 – March 17, 1852) was a German mechanical workshop owner, goldsmith and inventor.
He is most noted for developing a method for measuring the must weight
of the grape must in winemaking
. The Oechsle scale, named after him and divided into degrees Oechsle (°Oe), is still used for official classification of German wine
, Swiss wine
and Luxembourg wine
.
in the northern part of the Black Forest
area, the son of Israel Oechsle, a master glass blower, and Christina Juditha Lieb. As a boy, he went to school there. Towards the end of the 1780s he was apprenticed to a goldsmith and juwelier in Öhringen
(Württemberg
), followed by some itinerant years. In 1800 he became a master cabinet maker at a juwelery factory in Pforzheim.
In 1810 he founded a mechanical workshop in Pforzheim and among other things manufactured precision beam balances and physical and hydrostatic equipment for laboratories
and universities, as well as musical instruments. In 1820 the Grand Duchy of Baden
appointed him official gold inspector. In 1829 he developed a safe oxyhydrogen
equipment for soldering
, and was at this time also operating a liquor distillery.
Oeschle died in Pforzheim
, aged 77.
In the 1820s Oechsle produced the first single copies of the must balance (hydrometer
) with a scale in degrees. He realised that if it would be possible to measure the sugar content of the must, it should be possible to better predict the development of the resulting wine. From the 1830s, Oeschle must balances were mass produced.
Oechsle did actually not invent the must balance as such; different versions by different manufacturers had existed beginning more than 250 years previous. What he did do was to introduce a practically useful scale on the balance, and to put the balance into mass production.
Oechsle's hydrometers were made out of metal, typically nickel silver
; the hollow body of the float was typically gilt
.
When Oechsle started mass producing his hydrometers, sweet wines from very ripe grapes were established as the top echelon of German wines since a few decades. This development followed the accidental discovery of the first Spätlese
wine in 1775, and the introduction of the Auslese
designation in 1787. It was therefore attractive to winemakers to be able to easily measure and classify the sugar content of the grape musts.
He is most noted for developing a method for measuring the must weight
Must weight
Must weight is a measure of the amount of sugar in grape juice , and hence indicates the amount of alcohol that could be produced if it is all fermented to alcohol, rather than left as residual sugar...
of the grape must in winemaking
Winemaking
Winemaking, or vinification, is the production of wine, starting with selection of the grapes or other produce and ending with bottling the finished wine. Although most wine is made from grapes, it may also be made from other fruit or non-toxic plant material...
. The Oechsle scale, named after him and divided into degrees Oechsle (°Oe), is still used for official classification of German wine
German wine
German wine is primarily produced in the west of Germany, along the river Rhine and its tributaries, with the oldest plantations going back to the Roman era. Approximately 60 percent of the German wine production is situated in the federal state of Rhineland-Palatinate, where 6 of the 13 regions ...
, Swiss wine
Swiss wine
Swiss wine is produced from nearly 15 000 hectares of vineyards, and the wines are mainly produced in the west and in the south of Switzerland, in the cantons of Geneva, Neuchâtel, Ticino, Valais and Vaud...
and Luxembourg wine
Luxembourg wine
Luxembourg wine is primarily produced in the southeastern part of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, with vineyards overlooking the Moselle River. Along this river, which for 42 km makes up part of the border between Luxembourg and Germany, wine is made in three countries. There is a continuous history...
.
Biography
Oeschle was born in Buhlbach at BaiersbronnBaiersbronn
Baiersbronn is a municipality in the district of Freudenstadt in Baden-Württemberg in southern Germany. It is situated in the Black Forest on the Murg river.Administratively, Baiersbronn consists of the following nine villages:* Baiersbronn* Friedrichstal...
in the northern part of the Black Forest
Black Forest
The Black Forest is a wooded mountain range in Baden-Württemberg, southwestern Germany. It is bordered by the Rhine valley to the west and south. The highest peak is the Feldberg with an elevation of 1,493 metres ....
area, the son of Israel Oechsle, a master glass blower, and Christina Juditha Lieb. As a boy, he went to school there. Towards the end of the 1780s he was apprenticed to a goldsmith and juwelier in Öhringen
Öhringen
Öhringen is the largest city in Hohenlohe in the state of Baden-Württemberg, in southwest Germany, near Heilbronn. Öhringen is on the railways to Schwäbisch Hall and Crailsheim.With a population of 22,745 , the city is diverse...
(Württemberg
Württemberg
Württemberg , formerly known as Wirtemberg or Wurtemberg, is an area and a former state in southwestern Germany, including parts of the regions Swabia and Franconia....
), followed by some itinerant years. In 1800 he became a master cabinet maker at a juwelery factory in Pforzheim.
In 1810 he founded a mechanical workshop in Pforzheim and among other things manufactured precision beam balances and physical and hydrostatic equipment for laboratories
Laboratory
A laboratory is a facility that provides controlled conditions in which scientific research, experiments, and measurement may be performed. The title of laboratory is also used for certain other facilities where the processes or equipment used are similar to those in scientific laboratories...
and universities, as well as musical instruments. In 1820 the Grand Duchy of Baden
Grand Duchy of Baden
The Grand Duchy of Baden was a historical state in the southwest of Germany, on the east bank of the Rhine. It existed between 1806 and 1918.-History:...
appointed him official gold inspector. In 1829 he developed a safe oxyhydrogen
Oxyhydrogen
Oxyhydrogen is a mixture of hydrogen and oxygen gases, typically in a 2:1 molar ratio, the same proportion as water. This gaseous mixture is used for torches for the processing of refractory materials and was the first gaseous mixture used for welding...
equipment for soldering
Soldering
Soldering is a process in which two or more metal items are joined together by melting and flowing a filler metal into the joint, the filler metal having a lower melting point than the workpiece...
, and was at this time also operating a liquor distillery.
Oeschle died in Pforzheim
Pforzheim
Pforzheim is a town of nearly 119,000 inhabitants in the state of Baden-Württemberg, southwest Germany at the gate to the Black Forest. It is world-famous for its jewelry and watch-making industry. Until 1565 it was the home to the Margraves of Baden. Because of that it gained the nickname...
, aged 77.
The must balance
Hydrometer
A hydrometer is an instrument used to measure the specific gravity of liquids; that is, the ratio of the density of the liquid to the density of water....
) with a scale in degrees. He realised that if it would be possible to measure the sugar content of the must, it should be possible to better predict the development of the resulting wine. From the 1830s, Oeschle must balances were mass produced.
Oechsle did actually not invent the must balance as such; different versions by different manufacturers had existed beginning more than 250 years previous. What he did do was to introduce a practically useful scale on the balance, and to put the balance into mass production.
Oechsle's hydrometers were made out of metal, typically nickel silver
Nickel silver
Nickel silver, also known as German silver, Argentann, new silver, nickel brass, albata,, or alpacca, is a copper alloy with nickel and often zinc. The usual formulation is 60% copper, 20% nickel and 20% zinc. Nickel silver is named for its silvery appearance, but it contains no elemental silver...
; the hollow body of the float was typically gilt
Gilding
The term gilding covers a number of decorative techniques for applying fine gold leaf or powder to solid surfaces such as wood, stone, or metal to give a thin coating of gold. A gilded object is described as "gilt"...
.
When Oechsle started mass producing his hydrometers, sweet wines from very ripe grapes were established as the top echelon of German wines since a few decades. This development followed the accidental discovery of the first Spätlese
Spätlese
Spätlese is a German wine term for a wine from fully ripe grapes, the lightest of the late harvest wines. Spätlese is a riper category than Kabinett in the Prädikatswein category of the German wine classification and is the lowest level of Prädikatswein in Austria, where Kabinett is classified in...
wine in 1775, and the introduction of the Auslese
Auslese
Auslese is a German language wine term for a late harvest wine and is a riper category than Spätlese in the Prädikatswein category of the Austrian and German wine classification. The grapes are picked from selected very ripe bunches in the autumn , and have to be hand picked...
designation in 1787. It was therefore attractive to winemakers to be able to easily measure and classify the sugar content of the grape musts.
Personal life
Oechsle married Karoline Wilhelmine Friederike Gmelin (born February 18, 1778) on December 8, 1803 and they had five children.Publications
- Über den Gebrauch der Most- und Weinwaage ("On the use of must and wine balances"), 1836
- Praktische Anleitung zum Berechnen der Goldlegierung ... ("Practical manual for calculating gold alloys..."), 1844
- Kleines Handbuch für Goldarbeiter ("Small handbook for goldworkers"), 1860
External links
- Image of an original Oechsle must balance
- Pforzheim: Christian Ferdinand Oechsle - Mechaniker, Erfinder der Weinwaage